Dan Martin finishes 16th after battling performance as Ecuador take the gold

Eddie Dunbar made a bold showing at what was his first Games, the 24-year-old demonstrating why he appears capable of flying the flag for Irish cycling at Grand Tour level in the years to come.

Dan Martin, left, and Eddie Dunbar of Ireland in action during the men's cycling road race from Fuji International Speedway to Musashinonomori Park during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Picture: Alex Broadway/Sportsfile

On a day when Dan Martin led the Irish with a typically tough, battling performance, it was to Ecuador that the spoils went in the Olympic men’s cycling road race, Richard Carapaz making himself an everlasting national hero by winning his nation’s second gold medal in the history of the Games.

Martin was best of the Irish trio, coming home 16th in six hours, nine minutes and four seconds, 3:38 behind the winner after a grueling 234km journey to Fuji International Speedway.